BRING IT: City gaffer Pellegrini reckons his team are more than a match for the mighty Barcelona [EPA]

Pellegrini’s Manchester City face the Spanish giants in a two-leg blockbuster in February and March.

In the tie of the round, City host Barca in the first leg before the return leg at the Nou Camp.

Boss Pellegrini said: “I think Barcelona will be very concerned that they have drawn us.

“They are not the team of two years ago.”

DANGER: Pellegrini will be more than aware of the damage Lio Messi could cause to his fragile defence [GETTY]

“They know Manchester City is a strong team and it will be difficult for them”

Manuel Pellegrini

Barca have won the Champions League three times in the last decade and boast stars like Lionel Messi and Brazil sensation Neymar.

But Pellegrini came out fighting yesterday, insisting the Spanish champions are past their best.

The Chilean coach reckons it should be Barca who are running scared.

He added: “I think it is a beautiful game. It is not only Messi and Aguero. We will see which team plays better, but we worry about that in February.

“They will be very concerned, not only because we beat Bayern Munich. They know Manchester City is a strong team and it will be difficult for them.

“I don’t know exactly what happened but Barcelona changed three managers in the last three years and maybe the performance of the players is not the same. Maybe the players are older.

“There are a lot of reasons why teams change their performance. They continue to be a very good team, but two years ago they were more unbeatable than today.”

Barca boss Tata Martino, who is in his first season in European action, hit back and said: “I imagine that they didn’t want to face us. What we have to do now is make sure we are in the right shape for the game in February.”

WORRIED: Arsene Wenger's men have paid the price for not topping their group [GETTY]

Arsenal have been handed an even tougher test against Champions League holders Bayern Munich.

The Gunners must overcome Pep Guardiola’s men to reach the last eight and avoid being knocked out by them for the second season in succession.

But Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge reckons the Gunners will be a tough nut to crack.

He said: “There were more convenient and easier opponents in that pot. I’d rather have played Zenit (St Petersburg).

“We have to perform well twice. They are experiencing a good season.”

Elsewhere, former Chelsea hero Didier Drogba will make an emotional return to Stamford Bridge after his Galatasaray outfit were drawn against Jose Mourinho’s men.

Manchester United, meanwhile, look to have the best chance of reaching the quarter-finals after being drawn against 500-1 outsiders Olympiakos.

And United defender Rio Ferdinand admitted the draw had been kind to the 2008 European champions.

He tweeted: “No easy games at this stage! Could have been worse compared to what others got!”